Strauss's 'Ruhe, meine Seele!' is set apart by its staggeringly ingenious simplicity. Nothing is so restful as the slow but certain movement of a semibreve. Yet there is palpable darkness here – 'Deine Stürme Gingen wild, Hast getobt und Hast gezittert', Karl Friedrich Henckell's text reminds us – which must be overcome or at least forgotten. The song duly turns to the major after a Doppelgänger-like climax, yet the unease of the opening chords, accompanying 'Ruhe, meine Seele', still lingers. The song first appeared as part of Pauline's wedding present from her husband. Yet how fitting that Strauss returned to his orchestrate the song in 1948, shortly after times had turned very violent indeed.
Click here to hear Angelika Kirschlager's performance of the original 1894 version with piano.
Click here to listen to Jessye Norman singing the orchestrated version from 1948.
The painting is 'Selbstbildnis mit aufgerissenen Augen III, 1912' by Ferdinand Hodler.
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